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École J. B. Mitchell School was named after James Bertram Mitchell (1852-1945). Mr. Mitchell was elected trustee for the W.S.D. #1 in 1888 and soon became Chairman of the Committee on Buildings. Along with the architect Daniel McIntyre, J. B. Mitchell designed and created what some saw as North America's safest and most eloquent collection of schools. Together the two oversaw construction of more than fifty schools and numerous additions. Fittingly, both men retired in 1929 after an association of forty years.
J. B. Mitchell School, built in 1956, was a Junior High School until the month of June 1989. At that time enrollment was declining and the South End Facilities Review recommended its closure to the School Board.
During the 1989-1990 school year the school was used by the students of Laura Secord School because that school was going through some extensive renovations. The students returned to Laura Secord the following school year when all the major work had been completed.
During the 1990-1991 school year there were no students occupying the school. Plans were drawn up to renovate the school to make it feasible to house an elementary program.
In September 1991 the doors were now open to the new École J. B. Mitchell School. As the name implies, the school was now an elementary dual track school which housed the regular English Program and the French Immersion Program.
Most of the English students came from John Dafoe School which is located in the same school yard as École J. B. Mitchell School. John Dafoe was closed as a school and became the home of daycare centers. As of today there are two daycare centers housed in John Dafoe School; Carpathia Children Centre and On the Move. There is also a Montessori Program housed there.
Another school in the area, Sir William Osler, was also closed. Sir William Osler had been a dual track French Immersion and Hebrew Bilingual School. The students in French Immersion came to École J. B. Mitchell School and the Hebrew students went to Brock Corydon School. Today Sir William Osler provides programming for adults.
To provide the space for the incoming Hebrew students, the French Immersion students who were at Brock Corydon came to École J. B. Mitchell School. Brock Corydon School is now a dual track School
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